Lying Down
by Nobodysaiditwouldbethishard
Summary: Because I'm sick of frail Merlin taking things lying down. Here's BAMF!Merlin (who is also FEM!Merlin) being badass. Or: Richard was a nice guy. Except when he wasn't (Complete but might add sequel)


**FEM!MERLIN FEM!MERLIN FEM!MERLIN**

 **Just a oneshot about how Merlin** ** _should_** **react if he were ever abused. (with fem!Merlin, because I want to)**

 **GWEN IS QUEEN. ARTHUR LOVES HER. LANCELOT IS ALIVE. ELYAN IS ALIVE. GWAINE IS ALIVE. BASICALLY, NO ONE IS DEAD BUT UTHER.**

Richard was a nice guy.

The son of a minor noble, he had come to the kingdom so as to become a knight, and had moved up the ranks quickly. But the title wasn't the only thing that had caught his eye.

Merlin had just been walking, minding her own business; purposefully ignoring Arthur's beckoning, and talking to some of her other servant friends. The knights were talking a brief break, and Richard was talking to some of the other knights when he bumped into her. She stumbled, but he quickly caught her by the arm and hoisted her upright.

"Sorry about that. I'm Richard, by the way."

"Yes, hello." Merlin replied, brushing of her skirts. She looked up with a smile "I'm Merlin."

Richard smiled back, a dazed look in his eyes.

The knights immediately started taking bets.

Richard was a nice guy. Except when he wasn't.

 **LINEBREAK-BREAKING-OF-A-LINE-IGNORE-THELINELINELINELINE-TY-LINELINE**

Something had finally happened, after weeks of flirting, and more and more bets by the knights were placed.

Gwaine bet that he'd kiss her in an abandoned corridor (and subsequently got very mad and antsy and started patrolling the corridors)

Percival bet that he'd ask her on a date after a practice

Lancelot bet that he'd bring flowers to her chambers

Elyan bet that he'd buy her jewelry

Leon bet that he'd court her formally

Arthur completely refuted the idea that _Mer_ lin could date someone

Gwen bet that Merlin would make the first move.

Gwen, of course, was right.

 **LINEBREAK-BREAKING-OF-A-LINE-IGNORE-THELINELINELINELINE-TY-LINELINE**

Richard had come to see her at her personal "healer's bench", with a nasty slice on his arm.

"It's just superficial", Merlin stated, "But it must sting, huh?"

"Yes… I suppose so" Richard responded.

"Hmmm. Well, there you go." Merlin said, tying of the bandage.

"Maybe after it's healed, you'd like to go on a little outing into the woods? I always need help picking herbs?!"

Richard, stunned speechless, mumbled for a minute. Taking this as a positive response, Merlin left

"See you then!"

The knights, stunned, and Arthur, fuming, all watched as Richard stumbled off the field in a haze.

"Well, there goes my tavern money for the month"

Gwen had noticeably bigger pouches that week.

 **LINEBREAK-BREAKING-OF-A-LINE-IGNORE-THELINELINELINELINE-TY-LINELINE**

After their first date, Richard and merlin's relationship only grew.

He took her on dates, bought her flowers, helped her with herb picking, and spent most of his time with her. It was clear to anyone involved that they were infatuated with each other.

This happiness lasted for about a month. Merlin had finally come out of the haze she was in, and became cheekier. She was clearly still interested in Richard, but no longer spent all her time with him. The knight's occasionally heard little shouting matches between them, but to them, they were just "Lovers spats" and "a couples first fight". No big deal.

But slowly and surely, Merlin's behavior became more subdued. She had little energy, and stopped spending time with Arthur and the knights, when she wasn't working. They assumed she just wanted to spend more time with Richard, but she was undeniably unhappy, and had seemed almost like a zombie for around two weeks.

Things all came to a head one night after a private training session with just the Round Table knights. They were all walking back to their chambers together when they heard yelling coming from around the corner.

"You're so controlling! I don't belong to you!" Merlin's voice rang in the hallway.

"Know your place, woman! You are _lucky_ I even _bothered_ to look at you! You are so far beneath my standing its incredible I ever saw a thing in you! You should be grateful!"

"Woman? Beneath your standing? I don't know what I ever saw in you, you stupid noble! You're all the same. Filth. Goodbye, Richard." They heard the unmistakable sound of boots clacking on stone, and quickened their step so as to reach her.

Another set of boots, presumably Richard's, ran after Merlin. "Stop right there, you ungrateful whore!"

There was a resounding CRACK! Followed by the sound of something or… someone crumpling to the ground.

The Knights and Arthur all broke into a sprint, expecting to see Merlin crumpled on the ground, and Richard, towering over her.

Instead, what they saw shocked each and every one of them.

There was Merlin, and Richard, but far from Merlin cowering, she looked frightening. She was standing over Richard, hand raised, eyes blazing, as Richard looked up at her from his position on the ground, clutching his bleeding nose, fear clear in his eyes.

"No one, _no one_ , especially not someone as disgusting as yourself, can call me that. I am not a whore, but you are most certainly filth."

With that, she walked away, brushing past the knights as she went, as regal as can be.

Richard left that day, still clutching his nose, never to return.

And the Knights learnt some well-deserved respect for Merlin.


End file.
